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Great Zimbabwe at its height

Type Event Region Southern Africa Time 1241–1250

In the 1240s, the Great Zimbabwe city-state alliance was at its 13th-century peak, controlling regional gold, ivory, and cattle resources and trading…

Timeline

  1. 1241–1245Great Zimbabwe site · Great ZimbabweThe ruling center continued expanding dry-stone structures such as the conical tower and Great Enclosure; archaeology shows pottery styles and building techniques reaching maturity in this period, symbolizing royal authority's centralized control over corvée, materials, and craftsmen.
  2. 1245–1250Sofala · SofalaGreat Zimbabwe transported gold, ivory, and copper goods inland to Sofala, then onward through Swahili coast ports into the Indian Ocean trade network; imported glass beads, porcelain, and textiles circulated widely among the capital's elite, reinforcing royal symbolism and regional hegemony.

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